Chengdu—Dartsedo(Kangding) 355km, 6 hours

You will begin your Himalayan journey, heading to Dartsedo, today commonly known as Kangding in Chinese; it is one of the main gates between Tibet and China, Dartsedo is also the centre for the tea trade between Tibet and China. Tibetan traders carry herbal medicines from the high Plateau of Tibetan to sell in exchange for Chinese tea. We’ll spend the night in Dartsedo.

Dratsedo—Lhagang 135km, 2 hours

Today we’ll drive to Lhagang, which is a very traditional Tibetan village surrounded by grassy rolling hills and you will discover excellent short hillside hikes here. Here the hills and valley are filled with romantic legend and gods. Lhagang Monastery is one of most important pilgrimage sites in Tibet and is surrounded by a perimeter wall of prayer wheels with over 100 stupas of various sizes. Also you will have a chance to spend the night with local Tibetan family.

Lhagang---Drango(luhuo) 175km, 4 hours

Driving through the rolling grassland to the nomad county of Drango. Located at the riverside of De-Chu and Nyi-chu, visit traditional lifestyle of nomads and dark yak hair tents. Visit Drango monastery was housed to over 1,000 monks and was the largest Gelukpa monastery in Kham region and explore the castle of Drango Dzong.

Base Camp (5050m) Drango--Kardze (Ganzi) 95km, 1.5 hours

We’ll drive to Kardze via Joro Nunnery, a Gelukpa nunnery built in 1642. Below the nunnery there is a magnificent blue lake; there is also a lovely village located by the lakeside. Afterward, we’ll continue to drive to the riverside town of Kardze, and visit the Kardze Monastery to explore its many temples as well as nearby Tongku Monastery with the oldest Tangkhas in Tibet. Stay the night in Kardze.

Kardze—Lithang 265km, 5 hours

Today we’ll drive to Lithang via Nyarong, the route takes us through the forest expanses of Tibet’s “wild west “to Lithang. At Nyarong explore the ancient monastery and then continue heading to Lithang, which is the world’s highest town on the high plateau in Kham region and home 2 incarnations of Dalai Lamas’ lineage. Once there we will rest to get acclimatized to the high altitude.

Lithang

In the morning we’ll visit the Lithang Monastery and see the traditional Tibetan villages around the town. The Lithang Horse Festival is widely known in Tibet and attracts thousands of foreign travelers from oversea. During the horse festival all the Kham people dress very traditionally and colorfully. Usually the horse festival is held in the first part of August. Spend the night at Lithang.

Lithang--- Chaktreng (xiangcheng) 145km, 3 hours

We will pass through vast grassland to reach the Chaktreng Valley. We’ll see the monastery, which was built as a Kagyupa monastery and later in the 17th century changed to the Gelukpa school. You can walk around the monastery hillside.

Chaktreng--Gyelthang ( Shangrila)

Today we’ll drive to Gyelthang, a very important trade route between East Tibet and Burma, Yunan and Northest India. Also Gyelthang Horse Festival is quite important in the Kham area. Today Gyelthang is also known as Shangrila. Once you are there in Shangrila, if you are not too tired from the long ride in the car, you can join the local people dancing in Tibetan circle dance at the old town of Shangrila.

Gyelthang

In the morning pay a visit to Sungtsenling Monastery and the grant prayer wheel, this prayer wheel is the largest Prayer wheel in the world. Afterward, to see the Napa lake Nature Reserve, which is home to the black-necked crane in winter.. Explore the old town once back in Gyelthang.